Request about some early F-8 decals

Recommended Posts

I'm a new guy here....and your products look flat out amazing. I have been following the Fisher models F-8 conversions with much interest. I saw that you did one decal sheet for F-8C Crusaders, but I'm wondering if you might be willing to do some of the basically ignored versions. My dad was a plane captain on an F-8D, which can be made from the Fisher F-8C conversion, but he was in a fighter squadron that was sent to the Mediterranean Sea in the late 1960s, and no decals have ever been made for this. Because Vietnam was going on at this time, a lot of F-8 units, and others as well, are largely ignored or forgotten by decal makers.

Here's a link showing the markings for this unit, they are really pretty basic as markings go. No weird nose art, no flames, nothing like that....if you scroll down to the jets with "AJ" on the tail, those would be the markings. All lettering is in black. The stripe on the tail and at each wingtip is red with 3 white stars. Most of the time, they did not carry the "chin strap" under the intake. Top of tail is either red or black depending on which cruise. Nose cone is also either red or black, but nose and fin tip would be just painted. The units that were not taking part in the Vietnam war started off with newer F-8E's, and then as the years went on, the -E models were taken for Vietnam service, and older -D and -C models were brought in. In 67, they had -D's, and in 68-69 they had -C's. My dad's plane was a -D and was lost in 1967.

I have spoken with several of my dad's old shipmates, and I can get more photos if you would need them. I just think it would be really cool to do lesser known examples. The VF-84 F-8C's for example are very well known with their flames on the intake. I think there would be a lot of interest in other units that a lot of us might not have seen before.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

I don't want to put words in Eli's mouth, but as few people would be interested in both the conversion, then decals of aircraft not involved in the Viet Nam war, I doubt Eli will do them. He just can't sell enough.

My suggestion, especially since the markings are not complex, is to have someone make you a custom mask set. Maketar, or the new Ne Masks, surely could do them, or someone else on the boards. I would check it out.

And

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Thanks for the reply, I will definitely check into that. Although, I'm not so sure I would agree. Some companies did put out decal sets for some Crusaders that were not Vietnam birds, and you can still find them from time to time. In fact, there was at least one company who did a set from VF-13, which is my dad's squadron, from the early 1960s, before he was in the Navy. The tail code was different--AK--and they were with CVW-10 I believe. It just gets old seeing the same markings every time, and I know that a lot of more experienced builders will either make their own or mask and paint. But the rest of us, lol, who don't yet have the skills for that, it might be a little different. I do appreciate your thoughts and will definitely check into your suggestions. I'm actually planning to build my dad's plane from the Trumpeter kit with the F-8C/D conversion set.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

I agree it is nice when they bring out decals for the more obscure birds, but what I am saying is I don't think Paul sold enough conversions to support two sets of decals. He probably sold a couple hundred.